Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device includes a substrate, a display region having a pixel switch, a pixel electrode which is connected to the pixel switch, and a transparent common electrode formed over the substrate, a peripheral region having a gate signal line which is connected to the pixel switch, and a common connection line which is connected to the transparent common electrode, an insulating layer which is disposed on the gate signal line and the common connection line, a conductive layer which is disposed on the insulating layer and crosses the gate signal line and crosses the common connection line in the peripheral region, a first semiconductor film which is disposed between the insulating layer and the conductive layer, and a second semiconductor film which is disposed between the insulating layer and the conductive layer and is separated from the first semiconductor film.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/618,843, filed Nov. 16, 2009 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,284,341, thecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present application claims priority from Japanese application JP2008-294843 filed on Nov. 18, 2008, the content of which is herebyincorporated by reference into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device.

2. Description of the Related Art

In display devices such as, for example, liquid crystal display devices,circuits above an array substrate constituting the display device aresometimes broken due to static electricity occurring during theproduction or other times of the display device. For coping with thisproblem, a metal film is generally patterned above the array substrateto form a ground wire for dissipating the static electricity generatedin the circuits.

Further, since a high-voltage current may flow through a ground wire, itis preferable to increase withstand voltage characteristics (toalleviate the influence of potential difference) between the ground wireand a wire located below the ground wire and crossing the ground wire ina plan view. There exists a display device in which a semiconductor filmextending so as to overlap the ground wire is formed under the groundwire for improving the withstand voltage characteristics.

JP-A-2007-42775 is a document relating to the invention and discloses aconfiguration which dissipates static electricity generated on a wire byforming a ground wire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the display device in which a semiconductor film extending so as tooverlap the ground wire is formed under the ground wire, when theconfiguration of the wire crossing the ground wire is changed forimproving the circuit configuration, the circuit is sometimes broken dueto electrostatic discharge caused by the relationship between thecircuit configuration and the semiconductor film. Hereinafter, thesituation where the problem occurs will be described by using an IPS(In-Plane Switching) type liquid crystal display device as an examplewith reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of an array substrate for illustrating asubject of the invention, showing an example of the configuration whenthe problem of the electrostatic discharge occurs. FIG. 5 showsperipheral circuits including a ground wire PE on the left of a displayregion of a liquid crystal display device in an enlarged manner, showingcircuits corresponding to two rows of pixel array. A video signal lineIL extending in the vertical direction near the right end in the drawingshows the left end of the display region. The display region of thearray substrate of the liquid crystal display device lies on the rightof the video signal line IL. The plurality of pixel circuits arearranged in the display region. A region (frame region) surrounding thedisplay region lies on the left of the video signal line IL. The gatesignal line GL extends in the horizontal direction in the central andupper areas in the drawing. The gate signal line GL extends from theframe region to cross the video signal line IL and further extends fromthe right end in the drawing in the display region. A common connectionline CCL which is adjacent to each of the gate signal lines GL on theupper side in the drawing also extends from the left to the right in theframe region and is connected to a common connection electrode CCEbefore the video signal line IL. The common connection electrode CCE isdisposed so as to correspond to the common connection line CCL. Thecommon connection electrode CCE extends upward in the drawing from apoint where the common connection electrode CCE is connected to thecommon connection line CCL along with the video signal line IL beforethe upper gate signal line GL. The gate signal line GL, the commonconnection line CCL, and the common connection electrode CCE are formedin the same layer (first conductive layer) on an insulating substrateSUB constituting the array substrate.

The ground wire PE extends vertically across the central area in thedrawing. The video signal line IL and the ground wire PE are formed in alayer (second conductive layer) on a gate insulating film GI formed onthe first conductive layer. Below the ground wire PE, an inter-wiringsemiconductor film SP extends in the same direction as the ground wirePE. The inter-wiring semiconductor film SP overlaps the ground wire PEin a plan view. The inter-wiring semiconductor film SP is formed suchthat the width thereof is greater than that of the ground wire PE at aportion which crosses the gate signal line GL or the common connectionline CCL and smaller than that of the ground wire PE at other portions.

In FIG. 5, the common connection electrode CCE is connected to a commonelectrode CT through a contact hole. The common electrode CT crossesover the video signal line IL to extend in the display region. The gatesignal line GL is electrically connected to the ground wire PE throughprotective diodes PD1 and PD2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 5,showing a cross sectional structure of a ground wire portion. The firstconductive layer in which the common connection line CCL and the gatesignal line GL are formed lies on the insulating substrate SUB. On thefirst conductive layer, a layer of the gate insulating film GI, a layerin which a semiconductor film SLE is formed, a layer in which animpurity-doped semiconductor film DLE is formed, the second conductivelayer in which the ground wire PE is formed, and a layer of aninter-layer insulating film MI are stacked in this order. Thesemiconductor film SLE and the impurity-doped semiconductor film DLEconstitute the inter-wiring semiconductor film SP.

In the circuit having the configuration shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, staticelectricity sometimes accumulates on the wires or the like due to themanufacturing process such as etching which is performed above the firstconductive layer. Especially when the semiconductor film is etched usingplasma ions, static electricity tends to accumulate on the wires becausethe array substrate is irradiated with ions.

FIG. 7 illustrates an etching process in the array substrate in thesubject of the invention. FIG. 7 shows a state of the circuit shown inFIG. 5 in the course of the production thereof. FIG. 7 shows a statewhere a layer of a metal film is stacked on the insulating substrateSUB, the gate signal line GL, the common connection line CCL, or thelike is patterned, a layer of the gate insulating film GI, a layer inwhich the semiconductor film SLE or the like is formed, and a layer inwhich the impurity-doped semiconductor film DLE or the like is formed,and the impurity-doped semiconductor film DLE, the semiconductor filmSLE, and the like are patterned by etching. As is apparent from FIG. 7,when plasma etching is performed on the semiconductor film, staticelectricity accumulates on the gate signal line GL and the commonconnection line CCL below the semiconductor film. The gate signal lineGL is a wire which extends from the frame region to the opposite end ofthe display region. The common connection line CCL is a wire whichextends in the frame region but is not formed in the display region. Asis apparent from FIG. 7, therefore, the wiring length of the gate signalline GL is remarkably longer than that of the common connection line CCL(at least 10 times or more). Therefore, static electricity tends toaccumulate more on the gate signal line GL having the longer wiringlength due to the influence of plasma ions in etching.

When the amount of electric charge accumulated due to static electricityvaries, potential difference occurs. In the case of FIG. 5, potentialdifference occurs between the gate signal line GL and the commonconnection line. Electrostatic discharge occurs between the commonconnection line CCL and the gate signal line GL in FIG. 6, whereby thecircuit is broken. The route of electrostatic discharge does not extendin the horizontal direction of the gate insulating film GI at theshortest distance but goes through the semiconductor film SLE and theimpurity-doped semiconductor film DLE on the gate insulating film GI.

On the other hand, FIG. 8 illustrates an etching process in aconventional array substrate. FIG. 8 shows a state of circuits of aconventional IPS or TN type liquid crystal display device in the courseof the production of them, especially showing the vicinity of the groundwire PE in an enlarged manner. Similarly to FIG. 7, FIG. 8 shows a statewhere the gate signal line GL or the common connection line CCL arepatterned, the layer of the gate insulating film GI, the layer in whichthe semiconductor film SLE is formed, and the layer in which theimpurity-doped semiconductor film DLE or the like is formed are stackedand etched using plasma ions. FIG. 8 differs from FIG. 7 in that a metalwire ML corresponding to the common connection line in FIG. 7 extendsfrom the frame region to the opposite end of the display regionsimilarly to the gate signal line GL. Therefore, the wiring lengths ofthe gate signal line GL and the metal wire ML are substantially thesame. In this case, even when electric charge accumulates on the gatesignal line GL and the metal wire ML, the electric charge accumulates onthem in substantially the same manner. Therefore, the difference of theamount of electric charge accumulated on the gate signal line GL and onthe metal wire ML is limited, whereby electrostatic discharge does notoccur. The metal wire ML corresponds to a common signal line in the caseof an IPS type liquid crystal display device while corresponding to astorage line in the case of a TN type liquid crystal display device.

That is, in the configuration shown in FIG. 7, since the wiring lengthsof the common connection line CCL and the gate signal line GL adjacentthereto are remarkably different, electric charge tends to accumulatenonuniformly such that the electric charge accumulates more on the gatesignal line GL when etching is performed on the semiconductor layer orthe like. In addition, when the semiconductor film which extends so asto overlap the ground wire is formed below the ground wire so as toconnect the common connection line CCL with the gate signal line GLadjacent thereto, electrostatic discharge occurs before the formation ofthe ground wire to cause a problem that the circuit is broken.

The invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an objectof the invention is to provide a display device which prevents thebreakage of a circuit due to electrostatic discharge in an etchingprocess before the formation of a ground wire.

Typical outlines of the invention disclosed herein will be brieflydescribed below.

(1) A display device includes: on an insulating substrate, a firstconductive layer in which a first signal line and a second signal lineadjacent to the first signal line are formed; an insulating layer whichis disposed on the first conductive layer; a second conductive layerwhich is disposed on the insulating layer and in which a ground wirecrossing the first signal line and the second signal line in a plan viewis formed; and a semiconductor layer which is disposed between theinsulating layer and the second conductive layer and in which a firstsemiconductor film and a second semiconductor film are formed to overlapthe ground wire in a plan view while being separated from each other,wherein the wiring lengths of the first signal line and the secondsignal line are different by at least 10 times or more, the firstsemiconductor film overlaps, in a plan view, a region where the firstsignal line crosses the ground wire, and the second semiconductor filmoverlaps, in a plan view, a region where the second signal line crossesthe ground wire.

(2) In the display device according to (1), the first semiconductor filmand the second semiconductor film each include a semiconductor filmdoped with an impurity.

(3) In the display device according to (1) or (2), the insulatingsubstrate has a display region where a plurality of pixel circuitscorresponding to pixels are arranged and a frame region surrounding thedisplay region, the first signal line extends both in the frame regionand in the display region, and the second signal line extends in theframe region but is not formed in the display region.

(4) In the display device according to (3), the second signal line isconnected to a transparent electrode which is formed above the secondconductive layer and extends from the frame region to the displayregion.

(5) In the display device according to any one of (1) to (4), the firstsemiconductor film does not overlap, in a plan view, a wire other thanthe ground wire and the first signal line in the first conductive layer,and the second semiconductor film does not overlap, in a plan view, thewire other than the ground wire and the second signal line in the firstconductive layer.

According to the invention, it is possible to prevent the breakage of acircuit due to electrostatic discharge in an etching process of asemiconductor film or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a display region and equivalent circuits in the peripheralregion of the display region of an array substrate according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view showing the vicinity of a ground wire PEof the array substrate according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A illustrates a manufacturing process of the array substrateaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 4B illustrates the manufacturing process of the array substrateaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 4C illustrates the manufacturing process of the array substrateaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of an array substrate for illustrating asubject of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates an etching process in the array substrate in thesubject of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates an etching process in a conventional array substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described in detailbased on the drawings. A display device according to the embodiment isan IPS (In-Plane Switching) type liquid crystal display device,including an array substrate, a filter substrate (also referred to ascounter substrate) which faces the array substrate and provided withcolor filters, a liquid crystal material which is sealed in a spacebetween the substrates, and a driver IC attached to the array substrate.The array substrate and the filter substrate are both glass substratesor the like.

FIG. 1 shows a display region DA and equivalent circuits in theperipheral region of the display region of the array substrate accordingto the embodiment. In the display region DA of the array substrate, anumber of gate signal lines GL are aligned in parallel, extend in thehorizontal direction, and are connected to a gate signal line drivecircuit YDV outside the display region DA on the right in the drawing. Anumber of video signal lines IL are also aligned in parallel, extend inthe vertical direction, and are connected to a video signal line drivecircuit XDV outside the display region DA. The display region DA ispartitioned into a matrix by the gate signal lines GL and the videosignal lines IL. Each of the partitioned regions constitutes one pixelregion. A pixel circuit is formed in each of the pixel regions. A commonsignal line CL extends in the horizontal direction so as to correspondto each of the gate signal lines GL. The common signal lines CL areconnected to one common collective line CGL which extends in thevertical direction outside the display region on the left in thedrawing. The common collective line CGL is connected to the gate signalline drive circuit YDV outside the display region DA.

A pixel switch SW is arranged in each of the pixel circuits so as tocorrespond to a location where the gate signal line GL crosses the videosignal line IL. The pixel switch SW is a so-called thin film transistor.A gate electrode of the pixel switch SW is connected to the gate signalline GL, and a drain electrode of the pixel switch SW is connected tothe video signal line IL. In each of the pixel circuits, a pixelelectrode PX and a common electrode CT are formed in pair. The pixelelectrode PX is connected to a source electrode of the pixel switch SW.The common electrode CT is connected to the common signal line CL. Thesource electrode and drain electrode of the pixel switch SW aredetermined depending on the polarity of a signal input thereto. In theliquid crystal display device, both polarities are possible. Therefore,the source electrode and drain electrode of the pixel switch SW aredetermined as described above for the sake of convenience. The commonelectrode CT and the common signal line CL may be integrally formed. Thecommon signal line CL serving also as the common electrode CT may beformed in each row or integrally formed over a plurality of rows.

A ground wire PE extends in the vertical direction in the drawingoutside the display region DA on the left in the drawing and on theright of the common collective line CGL, and is connected to a groundterminal PAD in the lower area in the drawing. The ground wire PE isconnected to each of the gate signal lines GL via protective diodes PD1and PD2. Specifically, the protective diode is a diode-connected thinfilm transistor. The thin film transistor is formed such that thethreshold voltage thereof is higher than that of the thin filmtransistor used in the pixel circuit, and therefore is not turned onwith the voltage of a signal current flowing through the gate signalline GL. The protective diode PD1 and the protective diode PD2 aredifferent in polarity from each other. Current flows in a direction fromthe gate signal line GL to the ground wire PE in the protective diodePD1, while flowing in a direction from the ground wire PE to the gatesignal line GL in the protective diode PD2.

In the above circuit configuration, a reference voltage is applied tothe common electrode CT of each pixel via the common signal line CL. Apixel row is selected by applying a gate voltage to the gate signal lineGL. A video signal is supplied to each of the video signal lines IL atthe timing of the selection, whereby the voltage of a video signal isapplied to the pixel electrode PX of each pixel. This generates alateral electric field having an intensity corresponding to the voltageof the video signal between the pixel electrode PX and the commonelectrode CT. The orientation of liquid crystal molecules is determinedin accordance with the intensity of the lateral electric field.

The protective diodes PD1 and PD2 maintain the potential differencebetween the gate signal line GL and the ground wire PE at a constantrange. When a constant potential is supplied from the ground terminalPAD during the production or usage, the potential of the gate signalline GL is maintained at a constant range. Therefore, the breakage ofthe circuit can be prevented after the formation of the protectivediode.

In FIG. 1, although only two times two or four pixel circuits are shownfor facilitating the description, there are actually three times as manypixel circuits as the number of pixels arranged in a matrix in thedisplay region. The number is tripled because three pixel circuits ofRGB are required for each pixel.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the vicinity of the ground wire PE of thearray substrate according to the embodiment, showing a portion of aframe region on the left of the display region DA in an enlarged manner.The frame region is a region surrounding the display region DA. In FIG.2, circuits corresponding to two rows of the pixel circuit array areshown. The video signal line IL extending in the vertical direction nearthe right end in the drawing shows the left end of the display regionDA. The display region DA of the array substrate of the liquid crystaldisplay device lies on the right of the video signal line IL. Theplurality of pixel circuits are arranged in the display region DA. Theframe region lies on the left of the video signal line IL. The gatesignal line GL extends in the horizontal direction in the central andupper areas in the drawing. A common connection line CCL which isadjacent to each of the gate signal lines GL on the upper side in thedrawing also extends in the horizontal direction. The gate signal lineGL, the common connection line CCL, and a common connection electrodeCCE are formed in the same layer (first conductive layer) on aninsulating substrate SUB constituting the array substrate.

The ground wire PE extends vertically across the central area in thedrawing. The video signal line IL and the ground wire PE are formed in alayer (second conductive layer) on a gate insulating film GI formed onthe first conductive layer.

The common connection line CCL will be specifically described below. InFIG. 2, the common connection electrode CCE which extends in parallelwith the video signal line IL toward the gate signal line GL extendinghorizontally in the central area in the drawing is located on the lowerside of the gate signal line GL (corresponding to the upper pixelcircuit) extending horizontally in the upper area in the drawing and atthe right end of the frame region. The common connection electrode CCEextends before the gate signal line GL extending horizontally in thecentral area in the drawing and is connected to the common connectionline CCL there. The common connection line CCL extends leftward in thedrawing from the location where the common connection line CCL isconnected to the common connection electrode CCE, extends slightlytoward the lower left direction in the drawing along the way, andfurther extends leftward in the drawing. The common connection line CCLcrosses below the ground wire PE, extends leftward in the drawing, andis connected to the not-shown common collective line CGL at the left endof the frame region.

The common connection line CCL crosses the ground wire PE as viewed in aplan view. An inter-wiring semiconductor film SPC (second semiconductorfilm) is formed between the common connection line CCL (to be moreaccurate, the gate insulating film GI on the common connection line CCL)and the ground wire PE so as to overlap the crossing region in a planview.

The common connection electrode CCE is connected to the common electrodeCT (the common signal line CL) located above the ground wire PE or thevideo signal line IL via a contact hole CHC. The common electrode CTcrosses over the video signal line IL to extend in the display region.The common electrode CT is a transparent electrode. The common electrodeCT, which is disposed so as to horizontally cross the pixel regionsarranged in the horizontal direction, is a part of the common signalline CL shown in FIG. 1. The common connection line CCL is a part of thecommon signal line CL although being formed in a different layer fromthe common electrode CT.

The gate signal line GL extends from the frame region to cross the videosignal line IL and further extends from the right end in the drawing inthe display region DA. The wiring structure of the gate signal line GLin the frame region will be specifically described below with thedisplay region DA side as the starting point. The gate signal line GLextends from the display region DA on the right in the drawing to crossbelow the video signal line IL and enters the frame region. The videosignal line IL crosses the gate signal line GL. After entering the frameregion, the gate signal line GL extends leftward in the drawing whilebeing adjacent to the common connection line CCL. The gate signal lineGL extends slightly toward the lower left direction in the drawing inaccordance with the curve of the common connection line along the wayand thereafter extends further leftward in the drawing. The gate signalline GL is separated from the common connection line CCL before theground wire PE and extends downward in the drawing. A contact hole CHG2is formed on a further extending portion of the gate signal line GL. Thebottom of the contact hole CHG2 reaches the gate signal line GL. Thegate signal line GL faces leftward in the drawing from the place wherethe contact hole CHG2 is formed and crosses below the ground wire PE.The gate signal line GL and the ground wire PE are at right angles toeach other as viewed in a plan view. A contact hole CHG3 is formed on aportion of the gate signal line GL extending after crossing the groundwire PE. The bottom of the contact hole CHG3 reaches the gate signalline GL. The gate signal line is branched into upper and lower portionsat the place where the contact hole CHG3 is formed. The upper portionextends upward in the drawing before the common connection line CCL. Thelower portion extends downward in the drawing and then bends to the leftin the drawing. The bent portion serves as a gate electrode GT1 of theprotective diode PD1.

The gate signal line GL and the ground wire PE are at right angles asviewed in a plan view. An inter-wiring semiconductor film SPG (firstsemiconductor film) is formed between the gate signal line GL (to bemore accurate, the gate insulating film GI on the gate signal line GL)and the ground wire PE so as to overlap the region where the gate signalline GL and the ground wire PE are at right angles.

The gate signal line GL is electrically connected to the ground wire PEthrough the protective diodes PD1 and PD2. Specifically, the protectivediode PD1 is formed of a channel semiconductor film SLD1, a drainelectrode DT1, a source electrode ST1, and the gate electrode GT1. Thechannel semiconductor film SLD1 is formed above the gate electrode GT1.The drain electrode DT1 is connected to an upper surface of the channelsemiconductor film SLD1 at the right end, extends rightward, and isconnected to the ground wire PE. The source electrode ST1 is connectedto an upper surface of the channel semiconductor film SLD1 at the leftend, extends leftward, and then bends upward. Thereafter, the sourceelectrode ST1 bends toward the contact hole CHG3. A contact hole CHD3 isformed on the bent portion. The bottom of the contact hole CHD3 reachesthe source electrode ST1. The source electrode ST1 and the gate signalline GL are connected to each other through a transparent electrode TW3disposed so as to cover both the contact hole CHD3 and the contact holeCHG3. This structure forms a diode-connected thin film transistor inwhich the gate electrode GT1 and the source electrode ST1 are connectedtogether with the gate signal line GL.

The protective diode PD2 is formed of a channel semiconductor film SLD2,a drain electrode DT2, a source electrode ST2, and a gate electrode GT2.The drain electrode DT2 is a wire formed in the same layer as the groundwire PE. The drain electrode DT2 extends rightward in the drawing from acontact hole CHD2 formed on the right of the contact hole CHG2, bendsdownward in the drawing and further extends, and further bends to theleft in the drawing. The contact hole CHD2 reaches the drain electrodeDT2. The drain electrode DT2 is connected at a lower surface of afurther extending portion thereof to an upper surface of a channelsemiconductor film SLD2 at the right end. The channel semiconductor filmSLD2 extends from the place where the channel semiconductor film SLD2 isconnected to the drain electrode DT2 toward the ground wire PE on theleft in the drawing and is connected at an upper surface on the left endto the source electrode ST2 extending from the ground wire PE to theright in the drawing. The gate electrode GT2 is located in the samelayer as the gate electrode GT1. The gate electrode GT2 extends downwardfrom the right end portion thereof which overlaps the channelsemiconductor film SLD2 in a plan view. A contact hole CHG1 is formed ona further extending portion of the gate electrode GT2. The contact holeCHG1 reaches the gate electrode GT2. A branch extends from the groundwire PE to the right in the drawing on the left of the contact holeCHG1. A contact hole CHD1 is formed on the branch. The contact hole CHD1reaches the ground wire PE. The gate signal line GL and the drainelectrode DT2 are connected to each other through a transparentelectrode TW2 which covers the contact hole CHG2 and the contact holeCHD2. The gate electrode GT2 and the ground wire PE are connected toeach other through a transparent electrode TW1 which covers the contacthole CHD1 and the contact hole CHG1. This structure forms adiode-connected thin film transistor in which the gate electrode GT2 andthe source electrode ST2 are connected together with the ground wire PE.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2,showing a cross sectional structure of the ground wire portion. Thefirst conductive layer in which the common connection line CCL and thegate signal line GL are formed lies on the insulating substrate SUB. Onthe first conductive layer, a layer of the gate insulating film GI, alayer in which a semiconductor film SLC overlapping the commonconnection line CCL in a plan view and a semiconductor film SLGoverlapping the gate signal line GL in a plan view are formed, a layerin which an impurity-doped semiconductor film DLC in contact with anupper surface of the semiconductor film SLC and an impurity-dopedsemiconductor film DLG in contact with an upper surface of thesemiconductor film SLG are formed, the second conductive layer in whichthe ground wire PE is formed, and an layer of an inter-layer insulatingfilm MI are stacked in this order. The semiconductor film SLC and theimpurity-doped semiconductor film DLC constitute the inter-wiringsemiconductor film SPC. The semiconductor film SLG and theimpurity-doped semiconductor film DLG constitute the inter-wiringsemiconductor film SPG.

Next, a method for manufacturing the array substrate according to theembodiment will be described. FIGS. 4A to 4C illustrate a manufacturingprocess of the array substrate according to the embodiment. First, thegate signal line GL or the common connection line CCL is formed on anarray substrate SUB. For example, the array substrate SUB is atransparent substrate such as a glass substrate. In this process, ametal serving as the gate signal line GL or the like, for example, ahigh-melting-point metal such as molybdenum, tungsten, or tantalum, oran alloy thereof is deposited, and patterned by photolithography andetching, whereby the shape of the gate signal line GL or the like isformed (FIG. 4A).

Next, the gate insulating film GI is formed so as to cover the gateelectrode film. The gate insulating film GI is made of, for example,silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, and is deposited by a CVD method orthe like. A semiconductor layer SL containing amorphous silicon (a-Si)is successively deposited. Thereafter, for forming an impurity-dopedsemiconductor layer DL (n+ layer), for example, amorphous silicon havinga high concentration of phosphorus diffused therein is deposited (FIG.4B).

Next, the impurity-doped semiconductor layer DL and the semiconductorlayer SL are patterned by photolithography and etching to form theinter-wiring semiconductor film SPC or the inter-wiring semiconductorfilm SPG (FIG. 4C). As an etching technique, plasma ions using afluorocarbon system gas or the like are employed.

Next, a metal such as, for example, aluminum or an alloy thereof isdeposited by sputtering to form a metal film. In this case, forpreventing the diffusion of an aluminum film and reducing contactresistance, a layer of a high-melting-point metal such as titanium ormolybdenum, or an alloy thereof (barrier metal layer) is preferablyformed on and below the aluminum layer. Thereafter, the ground wire PEor the like is formed by photolithography and etching. Next, forexample, silicon nitride is deposited by a CVD method as the inter-layerinsulating film MI (refer to FIG. 3). After a planarization film isformed, and the contact hole CHC or the like is formed, the commonelectrode CT is deposited and patterned. An insulating film is depositedthereon, and a contact hole or the like is formed. Thereafter, the pixelelectrode PX is formed, whereby a pixel circuit or circuit in the frameregion of the IPS type is formed.

By adopting the above-described structure, the inter-wiringsemiconductor film SPC formed above the common connection line CCL andthe inter-wiring semiconductor film SPG formed above the gate signalline GL are disposed like islands while being separated from each otheras shown in FIG. 3. When plasma etching is performed in themanufacturing process as described above, electric charge tends toaccumulate on the gate signal line GL and the common connection line CCLas in the case of the configuration shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. Further, apotential difference nearly equal to that of FIG. 7 also occurs due to aremarkable difference in wiring length (for example, a difference of 10times or more). However, the semiconductor films serving as dischargeroutes in the structure of FIG. 7 are formed to be separated from eachother. Therefore, the resistance between the common connection line CCLand the gate signal line GL is increased to thereby suppresselectrostatic discharge. The reasons of the increase in resistance andthe suppression of electrostatic discharge will be further describedbelow.

One of the reasons is that the impurity-doped semiconductor layer DLwhose conductivity is increased due to the doping of an impurity isseparated into the impurity-doped semiconductor film DLC and theimpurity-doped semiconductor film DLG in a relatively early stage ofetching because the impurity-doped semiconductor layer DL is the upperlayer. When the impurity-doped semiconductor layer DL is separated intothe impurity-doped semiconductor film DLC and the impurity-dopedsemiconductor film DLG, the resistance value is increased compared withthe case of FIGS. 5 to 7 because the semiconductor layer SL is asemiconductor layer not doped with an impurity. This is one reason whythe electrostatic discharge can be suppressed. Another reason is thatthe inter-wiring semiconductor film SPC and the inter-wiringsemiconductor film SPG are separated like islands. In the etchingprocess, the array substrate is exposed to plasma ions for a while afterthe inter-wiring semiconductor film SPC and the inter-wiringsemiconductor film SPG are separated, during which the charging amountof the gate signal line GL or the like may increase. However, it isconceivable that when they are separated like islands, the inter-wiringsemiconductor film SPC and the inter-wiring semiconductor film SPG areinsulated from each other, and therefore electrostatic discharge can besuppressed.

The invention is not limited to a liquid crystal display device havingthe structure shown in FIG. 2. In an organic EL display device or thelike, for example, electrodes or wires are formed in upper and lowerlayers which sandwich an organic EL element. Therefore, it may happenthat the wiring length is remarkably different between adjacent wires inthe same layer when the upper wire is connected to another wire formedin the same layer as the lower layer in a frame region via a contacthole.

1. A display device comprising: a substrate; a display region having apixel switch, a pixel electrode which is connected to the pixel switch,and a transparent common electrode formed over the substrate; aperipheral region having a gate signal line which is connected to thepixel switch, and a common connection line which is connected to thetransparent common electrode; an insulating layer which is disposed onthe gate signal line and the common connection line; a conductive layerwhich is disposed on the insulating layer and crosses the gate signalline and crosses the common connection line in the peripheral region; afirst semiconductor film which is disposed between the insulating layerand the conductive layer; and a second semiconductor film which isdisposed between the insulating layer and the conductive layer and isseparated from the first semiconductor film; wherein the conductivelayer is connected to the gate signal line via a pair of diodes; whereinlengths of the gate signal line and the common connection line aredifferent by at least 10 times; wherein the first semiconductor filmoverlaps, in plan view, a region where the gate signal line crosses theconductive layer; and wherein the second semiconductor film overlaps, inplan view, a region where the common connection line crosses theconductive layer.
 2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein thefirst semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film each includea semiconductor film doped with an impurity.
 3. A display deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein the gate signal line extends both in theperipheral region and in the display region; and wherein the commonconnection line extends in a frame region without being formed in thedisplay region.
 4. A display device according to claim 3, wherein thefirst semiconductor film does not overlap with a wire other than theconductive layer and the gate signal line; and wherein the secondsemiconductor film does not overlap with a wire other than theconductive layer and the common connection line.
 5. A display deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the conductive layer is a ground wiring.6. A display device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive layeris a ground wiring.
 7. A display device according to claim 1, whereinthe gate signal line extends both in the peripheral region and in thedisplay region; and wherein the common connection line extends in aframe region without being formed in the display region.
 8. A displaydevice according to claim 7, wherein the first semiconductor film doesnot overlap with a wire other than the conductive layer and the gatesignal line; and wherein the second semiconductor film does not overlapwith a wire other than the conductive layer and the common connectionline.
 9. A display device according to claim 7, wherein the conductivelayer is a ground wiring.
 10. A display device according to claim 1,wherein the first semiconductor film does not overlap with a wire otherthan the conductive layer and the gate signal line; and wherein thesecond semiconductor film does not overlap with a wire other than theconductive layer and the common connection line.
 11. A display deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein the conductive layer is a ground wiring.12. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layeris a ground wiring.